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Lewis MG .303


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Unless there is something really special or they are Savage 30-06 guns, they run 14-18K typically.  They have very few moving parts and run very well once the spring tension (how to set in the manual) is set in the correct range.  The shooting experience is very unique compared with similar guns.  No other gun has the smooth lines yet simplicity of the Lewis.

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21 hours ago, Autogun said:

Good luck finding one for that price!

I have one posted for sale on gunboards for 19K for over a year with no takers.  Nice condition and matching.  LOL   Several have sold at auction fairly recently.  Since I have several I sort of keep an eye out for them.  But hey, if you can get more that's great!

 

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So lets see if I got this straight.

There are currently two Lewis guns on the boards available one on Sturm and the other on GB, they are both in the 30K range.

One of the most recent sales on auction was for 26K + and Morphy auctioned one two years ago for 19K.

But these are over inflated prices based on your experience possibly over a year ago when converted colt AR15s were 15 to 17K and Pre Sample MP5s were 11 K?

 

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15 hours ago, johnsonlmg41 said:

I have one posted for sale on gunboards for 19K for over a year with no takers.  Nice condition and matching.  LOL   Several have sold at auction fairly recently.  Since I have several I sort of keep an eye out for them.  But hey, if you can get more that's great!

 

Interesting as gunboards has not been on my radar so I tried to find your listing but could not.

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 Here's some Lewis' we have.  2 of these BSA's came out of RIA, one long ago, the other in 12/18 for $12,650 via Alan Cors.  There have been several at auction between them and at other houses.  Bear in mind that RIA has a list of potential buyers with a combined net worth of potentially over 1 trillion.  Sturm combined viewers/ buyers tens of millions, yet even so prices only differ slightly.   On the Cors gun 3 years ago, the net to the seller would have been $8855 just 3 years ago.  Of course with his volume he likely netted $10,750.  The other thing is that every auction transaction happens at listed prices.  Some are not paid for, some buyers have negotiated premiums lower than what's listed, some even though priced maybe low never made reserve and didn't actually sell, and every once in a while a buyer is not happy and asks for a refund.   Being a second bidder, I was offered a MG that was returned for refund once.  Course they wanted the winning bidders price which I declined.....twice really.

Gun listed on gunbroker sold at Morphys for $16,100 at the 10/17 auction.   There is the one on gunboards for 19K, this one on sturm, and others being sold privately.

Some of the other guns recently, one had a vickers tripod with adapter which is likely a 4K ad at minimum.  All that said, every transaction is a one-off and when comparing sales there are not enough statistical data points to come up with a legitimate number, only perhaps a trend that's only valid in the moment. 

The guns are exceptionally cool IMO and should bring more money?

20200105_1200251.jpg

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Hey Davy..

 

I bought one last last. BSA gun. I think $16k. Not matching sns, etc but in decent shape. It's sitting waiting on  F4 with Travis in Edwards. You are welcome to shoot it anytime but I havent tuned it yet. I will bring it to OFASTS in June but you are welcome to come up any weekend and play with it to help you decide if one should be in your future. They are large and HEAVY.

 

 

lewis.JPG

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i cant imagine surviving an hour on a battlefield with most of my MGs... they'd jam, I'd shat myself, and then get shot while trying to de-screw my gun! Glad its a hobby and nobody is shooting back at me. I've save that excitement for Battlefield I pc game...which BTW...is THE reason  I bought this Lewis. Yup...a frikking video game is why I bought it. Looked cool and great history and unusual nice gun to add to the collection.

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3 hours ago, rhouston8 said:

i cant imagine surviving an hour on a battlefield with most of my MGs... they'd jam, I'd shat myself, and then get shot while trying to de-screw my gun! Glad its a hobby and nobody is shooting back at me. I've save that excitement for Battlefield I pc game...which BTW...is THE reason  I bought this Lewis. Yup...a frikking video game is why I bought it. Looked cool and great history and unusual nice gun to add to the collection.

Those guns look like too much fun!!! Are they finicky??? I like the small 9mm subguns but really appreciate the big stuff. I'm sure you are not the first guy to buy a really cool MG because of a video game! And you won't be the last! Haha

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it was fun playing battlefield 1 and im WAY old for that game and its denizens ...and on team chat I'd tell my fellow players..."yup...I own one of those 1919s, Lewis, etc etc and the loading mechanics arent excatly as shown here in the game, etc etc ".... They usually felt I was BS'ing them. hahahah. 

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7 hours ago, gftiv said:

Look at where steve Mcqueens left hand is. he will get a surprise when he starts shooting.

I'm not sure why? Lewis kicks empties out the side.  Nothing underneath will bite you. I can't tell how that mount works. It looks like there's an extension of the mount that goes towards the rear of the gun? It may just be the angle of the picture.

 

Now a DP / DT will whack you if your support hand is forward. You know that you've been whacked before feeling comes back to the hand in the form of pain...

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Being whacked is never fun, but you learn right away to determine the ejection port really fast. :D

Been hit by a MG34 while my support hand was holding down the AA tripod. Paint chips are missing from where I had originally held my hand!

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That's not McQueen.  I believe that is Gavin McLeod who found later fame on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat.  I've read the book several times and have the movie on VHS.  It's very long, 2 tapes and I've not watched it in years.  My VCR still works so I need to watch it again.  Back in the 80's I met a crusty old fart who had been a China Marine in the 30's.  He told me that the Sand Pebbles was very accurate in its portrayal of China in the years prior to WWII.  I know nothing about the Lewis but I know I've always wanted one and should have bought one when they were cheaper.

Kevin in NC

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